164 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



forty individuals flying round together, rising and falling in 

 graceful curves, and closely following, though never colliding 

 with their fellows, evidently preparing to embark upon their 

 common journey across the sea. 



ALPINE SWIFT. 



Cypselus melba (L. ). 



The only occurrence which can be accredited to Lakeland 

 refers to the year 1842, and is thus recorded in the Carlisle 

 Patriot of July 8th : < On Monday [July 4th], at Low Mill 

 House, Robert Brisco, Esq., shot a fine specimen of that very 

 rare bird, the Cypselus alpinus (Alpine Swift).' T. C. Heysham 

 heard of it at once, for he wrote to Henry Doubleday on the 

 23d of July : ' I have recently been told that a specimen of the 

 Whitebellied Swift was obtained about ten days ago in the west 

 of Cumberland, not far from Egremont.' James Cooper wrote 

 to Heysham on the 4th of September that year : ' I had a letter 

 from Mr. Reeves in which he mentioned the Swift you alluded 

 to in your note of the 8 Augt., and from what he says I am 

 inclined to think it may be the Alpine one, as he says it first 

 attracted their attention from the largeness of its size before 

 they noticed its white belly.' Mr. Robert Brisco, afterwards 

 Sir Robert Brisco, Bart., deposited this bird for a time in the 

 Carlisle Museum, as shown by an entry in the old catalogue. 

 It is now in the possession of Sir Musgrave Brisco, Bart., of 

 Crofton. 



Order PIC AM M. Earn. CAPRIMULGIDM. 



NIGHTJAR. 



Caprimulgus europceus, L. 



The Nightjar is not perhaps as abundant in Lakeland as in 

 some of the southern counties of England, but it is known on 

 most of our fells as the ' night hawk,' and would be a good deal 

 commoner if spared by keepers. This Goatsucker, like many of 

 the summer birds, is fond of nesting for several successive years 

 on the same moss or moorland, usually where trees are thinly 



